Siena opens up around Piazza del Campo, a square with a shell shape. Start with Piazza del Campo, the Cathedral and Santa Maria della Scala, then add the Museo Civico, the gardens and the evening events.
At a glance
- Top sights to see first: Piazza del Campo, Siena Cathedral, Santa Maria della Scala
- Main access: on foot or by public transport line 520 from the railway station
- Museo Civico ticket: € 10,00, or € 11,00 with reservation
- Torre del Mangia ticket: € 10,00, no reservation provided
- Historic center: UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995
What are the best things to do in Siena?
Piazza del Campo and the Torre del Mangia
Piazza del Campo is the heart of Siena, and its shell shape is the first thing to take in. The historic center around it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995.
The Torre del Mangia single ticket costs € 10,00, and no reservation is provided. Buy it on the spot, then.
Siena Cathedral
The Cathedral is one of the most significant examples of Italian Romanesque-Gothic architecture. The complex holds much more than the church: the Libreria Piccolomini, the Museo dell’Opera, the Panorama dal Facciatone, the Cripta, the Battistero and the Porta del Cielo.
Plan on seeing several of its parts rather than only the nave, since each one is a separate stop.
Santa Maria della Scala
In the second half of the 12th century, this complex was a hospital for pilgrims, lone women, abandoned children and the poor. It stayed a hospital until 1996 and is now a museum complex at Piazza Duomo 1.
It offers guided tours for individuals as well as groups. It’s about 330 feet (100 meters) from the car park, which makes it an easy first stop for drivers.
The Museo Civico and the Allegory of Good Government
Ambrogio Lorenzetti created the Allegory of Good Government between 1338 and 1339 in Siena’s Palazzo Pubblico. The Museo Civico is among the civic museums that Siena offers.
The ticket costs € 10,00, or € 11,00 with reservation. A free audioguide app is available in Italian, English, French, German and Italian sign language, so download it before you go in.
The Pinacoteca Nazionale and the Oratorio di San Bernardino
The Pinacoteca Nazionale di Siena is at Via di San Pietro 29. The Oratorio di San Bernardino e Museo Diocesano di Arte Sacra is at Piazza S. Francesco 9.
The Museo Diocesano began in 1980, when a first exhibition nucleus opened at the Seminario di Montearioso. Siena’s museums also include university and foundation-owned collections, so there’s plenty to pick from on a rainy day.
Gardens and parks of the historic center
Almost 29.5 hectares of greenery, about 18% of the historic center’s surface, give you room to breathe between museums. The Orto de’ Pecci lies a few steps from Piazza del Campo, in the Valle di Porta Giustizia. The Orto dei Tolomei, near the Church of Sant’Agostino, holds Tony Cragg’s sculpture The Drop.
The Fortezza Medicea park is open all year and free. The Botanical Garden of the University of Siena, near Porta Tufi, was founded in 1856, covers about 2.5 hectares and holds more than 2,000 plant species.
The Bottini of Siena
The Bottini are underground galleries hand-carved into the tufa rock starting in the Middle Ages. They’re a good change of pace after a day of squares and churches.
Villas and castles near Siena
Belcaro Castle is a medieval village turned country villa, surrounded by a park. Villa di Cetinale in Sovicille was designed by Carlo Fontana and sits in an 18th-century park, and the Celsa Castle, also in Sovicille, is a neo-Gothic residence with large terraces and geometric flowerbeds.
Access is controlled. Belcaro is open through guided tours or events, and the Celsa garden mainly by reservation or on guided tours. Skip them if you can’t plan ahead.
When is the best time to visit Siena for sightseeing?
Winter is cool, with January afternoons at 50°F (10°C) and rain on seven days, and the Christmas markets and the Siena Incanta programme fill the center. Spring warms up steadily, from 65°F (18°C) in April to 73°F (23°C) in May, though both months bring about eight rainy days. Summer is hotter, with July afternoons at 87°F (31°C) and rain on just three days, so go to the Cathedral and museums early and keep the gardens for evening.
Day trips from Siena
Getting to the center is simple. The Museo Civico is about 1.2 miles (2 km) from the railway station, reachable on foot or by public transport line 520 Ferrovia-Piazza Gramsci. From Piazza Gramsci, it’s about 10/15 minutes on foot.
By car, exit at Siena Ovest for the Parcheggio Duomo or the Parcheggio Santa Caterina, or exit at Siena Sud for the Parcheggio Il Campo.
What to eat in Siena
Food events set the calendar. Gusto Lovers takes over piazza del Mercato on May 24, with dishes by chefs. Thirty local restaurants take part in Saranno Famosi nel Vino, which extends the fair outside the Fortezza.
Before Christmas, the Mercato nel Campo is a fixed appointment, held December 4 to 8 in 2026.
Things to do in Siena at night
Summer evenings happen outdoors. Sboccia l’Estate starts June 21 between Teatro dei Rinnovati and Cortile del Podestà. Two Chigiana concerts fill Piazza del Campo on July 18 and 19, and the square hosts more events from July 21 to 23. Piazza Jacopo della Quercia has events from July 28 to August 5, and Fonti di Pescaia from August 22 to 28.
Winter has its own program. Siena Incanta runs from November 28, 2026 to January 31, 2027, and the Christmas markets from November 29 to January 6. Francesco Gabbani plays in Piazza del Campo on December 31, 2026.
Things to do in Siena with kids
Santa Maria della Scala offers activities for children and families, and the Museo Civico’s free audioguide app comes in several languages. The Bottini, tunnels carved into the rock, suit curious kids. The Orto dei Pecci has children’s play areas and organic vegetables, and it’s run by the social cooperative La Proposta.
The Fortezza Medicea is free, and its avenues are used for jogging and outdoor workouts. Its amphitheatre hosts cultural and musical events. Families can let the kids run there between museum visits.
Sources
- visittuscany.com (https://www.visittuscany.com/en/ideas/the-gardens-of-siena/), checked 2026-10-30
- visitsiena.it (https://www.visitsiena.it/en/what-is-siena-famous-for/), checked 2026-10-30
- museocivico.comune.siena.it (https://museocivico.comune.siena.it/organizza-la-tua-visita), checked 2026-10-30
- visittuscany.com (https://www.visittuscany.com/export/shared/make/documenti/scheda-accessibilita-del-santa-maria-della-scala-a-siena_EQT.pdf), checked 2026-10-30
- comune.siena.it (https://www.comune.siena.it/index.php/novita/eventi-estivi-2026-la-giunta-comunale-approva-la-programmazione), checked 2026-10-30
- open-meteo.com (https://open-meteo.com/en/docs/historical-weather-api), checked 2026-10-30
- visitsiena.it (https://www.visitsiena.it/en/parks-and-gardens), checked 2026-10-30
- visitsiena.it (https://www.visitsiena.it/category/natale-a-siena/), checked 2026-10-30